Court Bars Radja From Playing for the Celtics

By SAM GOLDAPER

Published: September 27, 1989

Comparing the Celtics' signing of a Yugoslav player to poaching, a Federal judge in Boston issued a preliminary injunction yesterday that prohibits Dino Radja, a highly regarded 6-foot-10-inch forward, from playing for the Celtics.

The Celtics drafted Radja in the second round last June and signed him to a $425,000 contract. But Jugoplastika, Radja's club team in Yugoslavia, said Radja had two years remaining on a contract that paid him $11,000, and filed a $6 million suit against the Celtics.

A hearing took place Monday, and Judge Douglas P. Woodlock issued a ruling yesterday that upheld Jugoplastika's position. Lessons From Sports

In his ruling, Judge Woodlock said that it appeared that Jugoplastika had a valid contract with Radja, signed in 1988, and that his agreement with the Celtics undermined his former team's ability to compete and retain players.

''Sports have a way of teaching the way in which youngsters view what is appropriate and what isn't appropriate,'' Judge Woodlock said. ''The lesson that is taught by the ability of the highest bidder to reach into a stocked pond and poach from it, is not a lesson that seems to me one that is in the public interest.''

Judge Woodlock said the preliminary injunction would remain in effect for two years. He stayed the injunction until Oct. 5, the eve of the start of Celtic training camp, to allow both parties to try to work out a solution. The Celtics can either appeal the judge's ruling or attempt to negotiate an arrangement with Jugoplastika.

In the meantime the judge ordered the Yugoslav team to post a $450,000 bond as a guarantee against damages should the Celtics eventually win the case. Player Wants to Stay

Radja, who has been living in Brookline, Mass., has said he would not return to play for Jugoplastikia. He repeated his position yesterday as he listened to the ruling.

''I thought I would play this year here,'' he said. ''But this is not the case.''

Jan Volk, the Celtic general manager, who is a lawyer, said he found the ruling surprising. But he gave no indication whether the Celtics would appeal it. In the past, Volk has indicated he was willing to work out some kind of agreement with Jugoplastika that might allow Radja to play with the Celtics.

Although the case was different in nature, the Portland Trail Blazers made just that sort of agreement last month when they signed Drazen Petrovic, the high-scoring Yugoslav guard. They drafted him in 1986, when he was under contract to Real Madrid of the Spanish League.

When Petrovic decided to play for Portland, the National Basketball Association refused to allow the signing because it had an agreement with the Spanish Federation, which honors contracts with players in the Spanish League. No such agreement exists between the N.B.A. and Yugoslavia.

Petrovic, saying there was a buyout clause in his contract, sued Real Madrid, which said there was no such clause. But a Portland circuit court judge ruled that the contract did have a buyout clause, and while the case was still being disputed, Portland and Real Madrid settled out of court. Petrovic Out for Season

Petrovic began to suffer disc pain in late August while working out with Cibona, his former club in Yugoslavia. He was treated by the Blazer team physician, Robert Cook, but the problem persisted and the team decided the disc should be removed.